


Hatchling

by edy



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Childbirth, Crack, Crack Treated Seriously, Demaverse, Established Relationship, M/M, Magical Realism, dema
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-26
Updated: 2018-11-26
Packaged: 2019-08-29 13:06:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16744564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/edy/pseuds/edy
Summary: Early one morning, Tyler approaches their tent and sets an egg in front of Josh. He whispers, "Hey."





	Hatchling

**Author's Note:**

> prompt: trench crack

Early one morning, Tyler approaches their tent and sets an egg in front of Josh. He whispers, "Hey."

Josh hums.

It's cold this morning. Tyler's wrapped in heavy layers and has tugged a wool beanie over his head. Josh is all sweater paws and comfortable warmth.

The egg is not a chicken egg, like Josh would expect an egg given to him would be, but golden, heavy, and needing two arms to hold it.

Josh says, "Where'd you find that?" He doesn't know what would happen if he should touch it, so he does so carefully. His fingers slide along the sleek surface, easy to maneuver into a cradle. Josh finds that he wants to rock the egg. He does.

Now perched on the balls of his feet, Tyler hangs his arms between his legs and looks off into the top right corner of the tent. Josh realizes Tyler is not wearing yellow. "I didn't find it." Tyler closes his eyes. "I gave birth to it."

Josh stares at Tyler. He stares at the egg. "What?"

"We're dads, Josh. I mean, like, you're a dad… and I'm a mom. I'm a mom."

"No, Tyler. It's… I…"

"I know," Tyler says. He moves closer to Josh, sitting on the blankets and placing his hand on the crook of Josh's elbow. "You know how I got those bad stomach pains after dinner? And you said it might have been food poisoning? It wasn't food poisoning. I gave birth, Josh. I went into the woods, and I pulled down my pants, and I gave birth to an egg."

Josh frowns. "Wait, where did it come out?"

"That doesn't matter, Josh."

"Eh, I think it does."

"Josh," Tyler says, pinching Josh's cheek, "it doesn't matter. We have a baby. We're parents. Aren't you happy?"

Before Josh can provide a, no doubt, ineffective answer, the egg rattles in his arms. It gives a single shake, and then a second follows after a beat of stunned silence.

"No," Josh whispers. "I'm not ready. Tyler, I'm not ready to be a dad."

Tyler links their arms together and leans his head on Josh's shoulder. "I believe in us."

The egg shivers. A chip flies from the top, sailing through the air and landing in their bed.

Slowly, the egg continues to crack. More parts of the shell fly off. And soon, a dark eye peers up at them.

Josh says, "Uh."

Tyler's crying.

Rising from the fissures, their baby reaches for its parents. Josh expects pink skin. He even expects a beak, maybe a pair of talons. But paws emerge, claws out, and Josh gazes into the black holes of their child's eyes, of their cheetah cub's eyes. For a moment, he thinks this might work out.

Tyler lifts the cub from the egg, lifts it up like a king. "He's beautiful." Back down to Earth, Tyler holds their child in a proper swaddle. "He needs milk. He's so beautiful. Look at him."

Josh begins to cry with Tyler. "I'm looking."

"His name… is Jason Statham."

Jason Statham purrs.


End file.
